If it’s called a CAT scan, then why can’t cats use it?
A doctor in Italy is under investigation for doing just that, The Guardian reports. Gianluca Fanelli took his feline companion Athena to the hospital where he works after she fell on a roof, and stuck her into the medical imaging device before performing lifesaving surgery.
“She was between life and death,” Fanelli said. “I knew I could only save her with a quick intervention.”
While surely anyone would do the same for their beloved pet, Fanelli’s actions caught the notice of a local health authority, raising possible charges of “wasting public money” and “depriving patients of essential services.”
Fanelli, meanwhile, maintains that all this happened after hours with no scheduled X-rays or patients left for that day. He also offered to reimburse the hospital for any costs his actions incurred.
“I’m sorry if all of this led to a violation of the rules,” Fanelli said.
Maybe that’s why CAT scans are more commonly called CT scans nowadays, to avoid such confusion. Though we’re guessing a name change wouldn’t have stopped Fanelli.